South Korean drama, The World Of The Married, sparks strong feelings - fans hate its adulterous characters but still love the show.

A record number of viewers tuned in last Saturday (May 16) for the concluding episode of the show, also called A World Of Married Couple, cementing its place as the most watched South Korean cable drama series.

According to data analytics firm Nielsen Korea, the 16-part series on cable network JTBC achieved a record peak rating of 28.4 per cent for its last episode, beating its own record of 24.4 percent from the night before, K-pop news website Soompi reported.

The World Of The Married had earlier dethroned Sky Castle (2019), which looks at how rich parents pressure their children to get into top universities and had a peak rating of 23.8 per cent. It also outshone Crash Landing On You, the romantic comedy starring Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin, which ended its run earlier this year and had a peak rating of 21.7 per cent.

Adapted from BBC TV series Doctor Foster (2015 - ), The World Of The Married is about how family doctor Ji Sun-woo's seemingly perfect life starts to disintegrate when she discovers her husband's infidelity.

Fans in Singapore found the show riveting.

Engineer Francis Olarte, 36, said a friend recommended the show to him and he was hooked by the first 20 minutes, even signing up for a premium account on the Viu app to continue watching.

He says: "You hate the characters to the core, but even if you don't agree with their actions, you understand their motivations".

Ms Nursheda Abdul Hamid, 27, also an engineer, describes the show as a "roller-coaster of emotions".

She is particularly moved by the performance by lead actress, Kim Hee-ae (Secret Affair 2014): "I was impressed by how she portrayed grappling with internal conflict, and at the same time, having to stay strong for her son."

She adds:[The World Of The Married] keeps you in its world, you feel everything the characters do."

The Straits Times

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